Shelf-Made Man

Chapter 13

Chapter

Thirteen

“ S he took me in despite knowing what I am?” Tobias knew the answer but needed to hear it.

“She took you in because she knew what you were: a child who needed a parent.”

His heart felt lighter hearing this. He hadn’t been an unwanted burden, and his identity hadn’t been an obstacle. “Do you think it was Olve who brought me to you?”

“I honestly don’t know. But I like to think that was the case. It’s certainly something he would do.”

It had been only a day since he realized he was a troll, and he hadn’t yet had time to come to terms with all of the ways that might be significant. It only just now occurred to him that he must have been born in Alfie’s world rather than this one. It was an odd thing to consider, but in a way it was also reassuring. It helped explain why he’d always felt out of place. He was literally an outsider .

Alfie, who had been subdued since Aunt Virginia scolded him, spoke softly. “Your family must have been from the Kingdom of the Twisted River. It’s adjacent to Snjokarl’s kingdom and has a small troll population. They often get into skirmishes with the other beings in their region.”

Tobias wondered whether the trolls were entirely to blame for those conflicts. Alfie would probably assume so. Tobias also wondered vaguely about the circumstances of his abandonment. Were his biological parents dead? Did they survive but find themselves unable to care for a baby in the midst of battle? Were they separated from him by accident? He didn’t feel any emotional connection to them, just a deep gratitude that he’d ended up somewhere safe and loving.

“Aunt Virginia, can I ask you another question? How come you gave Alfie to me?” He winced a little at his phrasing, but he couldn’t think of a better way to say it. Alfie seemed interested in the issue, cocking his head slightly as they waited for her to respond.

She gave a small shrug. “If you’re asking whether I knew you could restore him, I did not. I didn’t think it was a possibility after Olve had failed, especially since you are not a wizard. But I am very old, and I wanted to ensure that the doll—that Alfie—was well cared for. And I knew, Tobias, that you could be trusted with this. I do apologize for the responsibility I saddled you with. I hadn’t expected the onus to be so heavy.”

“I don’t mind. It feels good to be useful.”

Alfie stood and bowed to Aunt Virginia. “I thank you for your stewardship, my lady. I am greatly in your debt.”

“I did nothing but stow you away in closets for decades. Tobias is the one you should be thanking.”

After a brief hesitation, Alfie bowed to Tobias as well, and Tobias responded with what he hoped was a regal nod. He didn’t really want acknowledgment, especially from Alfie. But he wasn’t about to act rudely in front of the Countess of Contovello.

Anyway, there were bigger fish to fry. As Alfie retook his seat, Tobias turned to her. “You’ve filled in a lot of the blanks for us. But this bad guy named Snjokarl has been sending troll thugs after Alfie. Do you know how we can protect him?”

She frowned thoughtfully. “You might be able to transfer him home, Toby. More elegantly than my Olve did, I believe. My understanding is that this would be within your capabilities. You would have to accompany him, but then you could return here immediately if you chose to do so.”

Alfie nodded. “Yes. This is what you must do. Then they will leave you alone.”

“But they won’t leave you alone, will they? If I drop you off, they’ll….” He let the rest remain unspoken.

Alfie opened his mouth to respond, but Aunt Virginia stopped him with a raised hand. “Alfred, have you anyone at home you may turn to for assistance or protection?”

“No,” he said grimly. “I have nobody.”

And there it was. He had managed to make Tobias fall in love with him and then had broken Tobias’s heart, all in the space of a few days. But that hadn’t really been Alfie’s fault. Now he was all alone in not one world but two.

A chunk of knowledge struck Tobias so hard and so suddenly that he initially thought they were experiencing an earthquake and the building was falling down. The ground, however, was steady—it was Tobias himself who was shaken.

He stood up slowly and crossed his arms. “I know what to do.”